


Head Over Heels

by NamelesslyNightlock



Series: Going Down Swinging [89]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Banter, Established Relationship, Flirting, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Hand Jobs, Humor, Kissing, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, M/M, Non-Graphic Smut, Rivalry, Secret Relationship, Swordfighting, Swords, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Using Swords to Solve Problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:08:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28148115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelesslyNightlock/pseuds/NamelesslyNightlock
Summary: “Swords, then?” Tony asked.Loki nodded, his hand already on his hilt. “No pistols.”“And no interference.”There’s no problem a pirate hates more than splitting a bounty– and in Tony’s eyes, there’s only one way to do it right.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Going Down Swinging [89]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1330490
Comments: 27
Kudos: 203





	Head Over Heels

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt** — _“You’re holding back.”_

Tony eyed his opponent carefully, watching those green eyes dance above the sharp line of a smirk. There was a drop of sweat running down the man’s brow from beneath his inky hair, a few of the braids in it pulling loose from the exertion.

The cheers of the men above them were loud enough to shake the decks, but to Tony they were barely a whisper.

They had been fighting for at least ten minutes already and his arms were beginning to burn, but in a way that was almost pleasant. His sword felt heavy in his hand, but it wasn’t weighing him down– it was a comforting weight, protection and assurance all in one.

However, a fight with this particular opponent _never_ usually lasted this long. Not unless—

“You’re holding back,” Tony taunted, adjusting his grip on his hilt.

“Why would I ever do such a thing?” the other captain asked, his smile sharpening further, his teeth gleaming in the bright sun.

“Because you’re a bastard,” Tony replied. “And because you’re always _up_ to something.”

“You say that like you know me well.”

“Oh, Captain Laufeyson,” Tony hissed. “I think I know you well _enough.”_

Loki’s eyes narrowed at that, his movements stalling—

And then Tony dashed forward, swinging his sword with enough force to break bone.

Loki moved quickly, but even so he only _just_ managed to bring his own sword up fast enough. The two pieces of metal clanged together with a sound that echoed across the lower deck, and the men standing above roared with excitement.

Tony’s gaze met green, and for a moment they were both held together by a mutual understanding—

Then Loki shoved _hard_ , and Tony was forced a couple of steps backward, given but half a second’s respite before Loki was coming at him again.

It was no wonder that the men on the main deck above were so engrossed in the spectacle– they were Captain Stark and Captain Laufeyson, two of the most feared pirates in the Americas. They both had reputations of blood, and there was barely a merchant vessel in the ocean which would not surrender upon sighting one of their banners.

Tony hadn’t known that the _Ginnungagap_ was even in this part of the sea– he thought that Loki had taken his ship and crew further south. Not that it mattered– when the pair of ships realised that they were hunting the same prize, they simply flanked the merchant vessel and had her surrender in a matter of _minutes._

That, however, left them with a pirate’s least favourite question—

For however would they share out the bounty?

They might have allowed their crews to fight it out, a bloody battle on the decks of the merchant ship as each fought for their right to the haul.

They might have just discussed it, worked out terms on paper, divvied up the haul evenly.

That option certainly might have been less… messy.

But, by all accounts, it also would have been a hell of a lot less _fun._

And, both being men of a rather tumultuous nature, it took only a look between the pair before they knew that they’d be going for the third option.

“Swords, then?” Tony’d asked.

Loki had nodded, his hand already on his hilt. “No pistols.”

“And _no_ interference!” Tony’s last order had been shouted up to the men—

And then he and Loki were fighting, neither seeing any reason for delay.

Watching them, one might think that they had fought together for _years–_ they danced around each other in intricate movements, as if they could tell how the other’s body would shift from the smallest of indications. Their swords clashed together but never met flesh, and despite the sweat on their brows and the ache in their arms there was yet to be a single drop of blood spilled.

Yes, Loki was holding back—

And Tony certainly did not like it.

Not only because it suggested that Loki did not see him as a worthy opponent, but because—

“We agreed on a fair fight,” Loki said, his voice remarkably smooth despite the exertion.

Tony snorted. “You know as well as I that we did no such thing.”

Loki’s eyes gleamed—

Then he lunged forward, forcing Tony to dance to the side—

Where he promptly fell down a staircase, tumbling head over heels into the hold.

_Fuck._

Tony groaned, glad as hell that he hadn’t managed to land on his sword. Goddamn _bastard_ , Loki must have seen those stairs there and had been manoeuvring Tony toward them this _entire time—_

Loki’s boots were heavy as he hurried down the stairs after Tony, and Tony squinted to try and adjust his eyes to the darker light more quickly. It was dim belowdecks, but—

He _heard_ the sound of Loki’s blade being slid back inside its scabbard, and then—

Tony’s sword fell out of his hand as Loki knelt over him, a knee either side of his hips, one hand beside Tony’s head while the other stroked his cheek. Tony’s breathing was shallow, a spark of desire already coursing through him—

But when Loki leaned down to kiss him– Tony allowed it for only a moment before pulling back away.

“We have a problem to discuss,” Tony reminded him.

“Very well,” Loki said– and the spark of dangerous wit in his eye very nearly had Tony giving in right _there,_ the heat moving all the way south. “If you would allow me and my crew to take the—”

“Whoa there, _we_ were closer to the prize, we found her first—”

“We have the larger ship, and crew. If it came to a fight we would win, you know it—”

“I know no such thing.” Deciding that they weren’t going to get anywhere this way, Tony decided to take control. He pressed up on an elbow to slam their lips back together, his other hand burying into Loki’s hair. Loki groaned, and when he pressed more of his weight against Tony, Tony could feel just exactly how much Loki was enjoying it.

And, well—

Loki wasn’t the only pirate who knew how to play dirty.

Tony let go of Loki’s hair and slid his hand downward, gliding over Loki’s heavy coat, his cotton shirt– and then he cupped Loki’s erection through his leather pants, lightly massaging as he deepened the kiss.

Then, right when Loki’s whole body shuddered with need—

“I’ll take the sugar,” Tony said, removing his hand even as every word was punctuated with another press of his lips against Loki’s skin. “You the tobacco.”

The division was fair– they’d both already taken a look at the ledger, and the value was near enough even. The only thing Tony didn’t like about the current situation was that the decision brought them to the end of their… _negotiation._

Loki seemed to feel the same, for he surged down to capture Tony’s lips once more, kissing him even harder than before.

They were quick, and they were messy– hurried movements hastened by the knowledge that their men were waiting for their answer. But that did not lessen the passion between them– the passion that had always been there, the passion that never cooled no matter how many leagues of ocean lay between them.

They might both never be able to settle for anything less than a captaincy, and as such could never remain on the same ship– but that did not give _this_ any less meaning.

And when they were left lying together in their sweat, their clothing dishevelled but only so much that it could still be explained away by a fight, Tony knew that there was exactly no other way that he wanted to live.

Loki’s breathing was slow as he as pressed a tender kiss to Tony’s forehead, and he knew that the moment was over.

“Until next time then?” Tony whispered.

“I’ll see you back at port,” Loki replied. “I’m sure my crew and I will have taken many more prizes by then.”

“I do not doubt it,” Tony replied. “However, if you’re saying you believe that you will have the _greater_ haul by the time we make it back to New Providence, then I’m sorry to say you are sorely mistaken.”

“Oh come now Anthony, we both know the truth,” Loki replied lowly, his lips just _ghosting_ over Tony’s. “In fact, there are two falsehoods in your words. For we both know that you are not sorry at all.”

And then, like the softest breath of wind in the depths of the doldrums, Loki was gone– headed back up to the main deck to inform his men of the split.

Tony’s smile, however, remained in place for a long time after.


End file.
